Speed Business Dating at the Wood Hub: the experiment that is changing the rules of networking in the wood industry

At BIFE-SIM 2025 in Poiana lui Vădan, we tested a completely new format for connecting suppliers and buyers. The result? Surprisingly positive, with clear improvements for future editions.

From casual chats to structured meetings

Anyone who's been to a trade fair knows: you walk around the stands, stop where something catches your eye, have a few words with the representatives, pick up promotional materials and... move on. Sometimes you make valuable connections, sometimes you waste valuable time in conversations that go nowhere.

But what if we could change this dynamic? How about creating a format where everyone knows exactly why they're sitting at the table: do business, find concrete solutions, start real partnerships?

This is what we set out to test at BIFE-SIM 2025, within the Wood Hub, with the concept of Speed Business Dating.

The concept: inspired by speed dating, adapted for business

The format is simple and effective:

🔹 Two tables - a supplier and buyer at each table
🔹 Stopwatch on - each round lasts exactly 5 minutes
🔹 Clear objective - suppliers quickly present their offer, buyers explain their needs
🔹 Rotation - after the 5 minutes, we change partners and start again

Nothing complicated, nothing forced. Just maximum efficiency and focused discussions.

First test: Katharina and Mihai vs. Călin and Radu

For our first Speed Business Dating experiment in Poiana, we invited:

Suppliers team:

Katharina Seiler (24Wood) and Mihai Vatavu (Danibrum) - distributors of woodworking machinery

Buyers team:

Călin Oltean (Masara) - engineer, designer for a furniture manufacturer
Radu Călian - our colleague from the Wood Hub, a furniture designer with concrete projects for machinery procurement

The rules were simple: 5 minutes timed for each round. In the meantime, each party has to convince or understand whether there is potential for collaboration.

"It's everyone's secret how to gain their partner's trust"I said at the beginning. And so it was - we saw different strategies, different approaches, but all with one goal: to make the connection count.

Participants' verdict: "Productive, but..."

After the two 5-minute rounds, we gathered direct feedback from participants. And here's what we found out:

What worked well:

✅ "Productive" - all participants appreciated the focus and effectiveness of the format
✅ "Competition helps" - Mihai emphasized: "Always, for me, competition has always challenged me and challenged me in an innovative system. To further develop and look for solutions, to not necessarily be better, but to look for the right solution for the customer."
✅ Diversity of options - having multiple suppliers means the customer can compare and choose the option that suits them best

What needs improvement:

⏰ Time is too short – "I think 5 minutes is very little. If it could be done with more, I say 10 minutes, okay?" - consistent feedback from all participants
👥 More participants – "Yes and more competitors" - the format gains value with multiple pairs in parallel
📊 Theme – "It better be on the same subject. If we're talking about a circular... let it be about the circular" - with suppliers of the same category, the buyer can directly compare

Why Speed Business Dating?

The concept is not new in the international business world, but it is a first for the Romanian timber industry. And it makes sense:

For buyers:

Maximum efficiency - in 30-40 minutes you can talk to 3-4 different suppliers
Direct comparison - see different offers, different approaches, different solutions
No pressure - you don't feel "trapped" in a stand, you know you have limited time
Focus on the essentials - the conversation is structured around your concrete needs

For suppliers:

Qualified audience - you only talk to people who really want to buy
Condensed Pitch - learn to quickly and clearly present the value of your offer
Direct feedback - instantly see what resonates and what doesn't
Multiple opportunities - instead of waiting for someone to come to the stand, you have 4-5 guaranteed appointments

For industry:

Transparency - buyers see more options, suppliers know how to position themselves
Healthy competition - everyone gets better when there is direct comparison
Stronger relationships - connections made in this format tend to be more serious
Innovation - the challenge of differentiating yourself in 5-10 minutes forces you to think strategically

Next edition: what we will improve

Based on the feedback received, for the next edition of Speed Business Dating (probably at nZEB Expo Cluj, October 24-26, 2025), we plan:

1. Time extension

10 minutes per round instead of 5
Allows more in-depth discussion without losing efficiency

2. Several meals in parallel

3-4 simultaneous months for different suppliers
Shoppers rotate between all the tables
More diversity, more opportunities

3. Thematization

Sessions by product category
Allows direct comparisons between suppliers in the same category
Shoppers can register for the sessions that interest them

4. Pre-qualification

Pre-registration for buyers - with project and budget information
Briefing for suppliers - they know in advance who they will talk to
Even greater efficiency, even more focused conversations

5. Structured follow-up-up

Contact cards changed at every meal
Online platform for further discussion after the event
Tracking - how many of these speed dates become real collaborations?

The story behind the experiment

Speed Business Dating did not happen by chance. It is part of the wider philosophy of Wood Hub: to create innovative ways for the timber community to connect and collaborate.

In the last couple of years, I have noticed that:

Traditional fairs work but have limitations
Spontaneous networking is valuable but unpredictable
Professionals want efficiency - they have workshops to run, orders to deliver
Providers have limited budgets and want qualified audiences

Speed Business Dating meets all these needs. It is efficient for buyers, productive for suppliers, and brings a dose of dynamism and innovation to an industry that respects tradition but embraces progress.

Did you participate?

Now the important question: would you like to participate in such a format?

If you are a buyer / have a workshop / want to invest in machinery:

What type of machinery are you interested in?
How much time do you need for a productive discussion?
What information do you want to know quickly from suppliers?

If you are a supplier / distributor / manufacturer:

Think you can present the value of your offer in 10 minutes?
What would help you make these meetings even more effective?
What type of buyers would you like to meet?

Leave a comment below, Your feedback helps us make the next edition even better!

About Poiana lui Vădan and the Wood Hub

Speed Business Dating took place in Vădan's meadow - our informal networking space in the Wood Hub, where industry talks mingle with relaxing over a glass of good beer.

Wood Hub is our "event within an event" concept - a dedicated space that appears 4 times a year at the biggest trade fairs in Romania (BIFE-SIM, nZEB Expo). Here we organize:

Live carpentry demonstrations
Practical workshops
Talk shows and debates
Structured networking (like Speed Business Dating)
Competitions and interactive activities

Our mission: To build the strongest and most connected community of wood professionals in Romania through innovative formats that respect tradition but embrace progress.

What's next for the Wood Hub?

Next event: nZEB Expo Cluj, October 24-26, 2025

Where we will have:

Speed Business Dating 2.0 (improved version!)
Timber construction demonstrations
Workshops with Radu Vădan, Fane Pănăzan, Mihai Ursu
The experience of a beneficiary of a passive smart house on a wooden structure with Ion Iosif - House by the lake
Lots of networking and unforgettable experiences

We are waiting for you! Follow us on:

Facebook: Revista din Lemn
Instagram: @revistadinlemn
YouTube: Wood Magazine
LinkedIn: WoodIndustry.News - RDL Network
Website: www.hublemn.ro

Thanks

A sea thank you participants of our first Speed Business Dating:

Katharina Seiler and Mihai Vatavu - for courage and openness
Călin Oltean and Radu Călian - for honest and constructive feedback
The Wood Hub team - because we are not afraid to experiment
To all of you who stopped to watch - your energy motivates us!

And yes, everyone won a beer at the end, Clandestine - because at the Wood Hub, bold experiments pay off! 🍺

P.S. Michael said something profound at the end: "Whenever there are 2, 3, 5, 10 providers, it always makes the solution that the customer gets the best solution or at least the customer can have diversity and choose the option that suits him best."

This is the essence of Speed Business Dating: it's not about winners and losers, it's about finding the right solution for everyone. Healthy competition makes everyone better.